Obesity is becoming more prevalent in our pets these days. Thankfully, in recent years, veterinary teams have added tools to their kit to help tackle this widespread issue. This includes specially formulated commercial diets, weight loss-specific clinics, and nutrition-specialist members of the team who can create individualised daily meal plans.
There are so many different ways to help a pet get to their target bodyweight. Of course, once they are there, it can be a challenge to keep them from creeping back up to an unhealthy weight. The following are some tips to keep in mind to maintain your pet’s healthy figure.
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Stick to the right number of calories per day
Your veterinarian can calculate the number of calories required for your pet to maintain their ideal body weight. To make sure you are sticking to this number, measure out your pet’s meals using weighing scales. Measuring cups are often inaccurate and a few extra grams in the bowl every day can lead to weight gain.
Even a pet who is trying to maintain their weight loss can still have treats. However, treats should make up no more than 10% of your pet’s daily calorie requirement. Your veterinarian can help you calculate exactly how many treats would be allowed to stay within the limit.
Manage begging behaviour
One of the reasons our pets can end up at an unhealthy body weight is through begging behaviour.
One way to deflect this treat-seeking behaviour is to use attention as a reward instead. Try initiating a play session or go for a walk. Your pet may be just as satisfied, or even more so, with an activity rather than a snack.
The use of a puzzle feeder for meals is a great way to extend meal times and help reduce in-between-meal begging behaviour.
If begging behaviour becomes especially troublesome, it may be worth considering investing in a robotic feeder. These will dispense your pet’s meals at set times each day and can help break the association that your pet has with the people in the household and food.
Increase your pet’s activity level
Finding ways to continue burning calories will definitely contribute to maintaining your pet’s ideal body weight. For dogs, it can be as simple as adding in one extra walk per day. For cats, it may take a bit of creativity. If they like to play, have a selection of prey-like toys available that they can chase. Remember to finish off these sessions by allowing your cat to catch their toy. This will avoid stress-causing frustration. Some cats may only want to engage for a few minutes every hour. Initiating play with your cat often and in short spurts can sometimes be the key to getting them to play more.
Offering meals in puzzle feeders is also a helpful way to increase activity. Many overweight pets will be food-motivated and this is a sure-fire way to get them moving.
Stick to a diet that is formulated for weight loss
Weight-loss diets tend to be lower in calories per gram and higher in fibre than other pet foods. They are often lower in fat as well. Many weight loss diets will be suitable for feeding even after your pet has reached their goal body weight. You can double check with your veterinarian whether your chosen diet can be fed over the long term.
Monitor your pet’s bodyweight
After your pet has reached their target bodyweight, it can be useful to weigh them every few weeks to check that they stay on track. This way it will be easy to identify anything in their routine that might be causing them to slip back to an unhealthy body weight.
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